Amityville Tops Irondequoit in NYSPHSAA Class A Semis

BINGHAMTON, NY- After losing in the opening round of the Suffolk County Class A playoffs last year to Bayport-Blue Point, Amityville and their head coach Gordon Thomas set a goal to never experience that feeling again. They were confident in what they were bringing back this season and believed that something special was truly possible.

What Thomas thought was possible was something that not many others outside of the Amityville community believed, not just a Suffolk Class A title, but a NYSPHSAA Class A State Championship.

With Thomas believing the players of the Warriors started to believe, and with Josh Serrano '18 leading the way Amityville are now just one game away from the ultimate goal as led by Serrano's 22 points the Warriors were able to down the defending state champions in Irondequoit on Saturday morning in the semifinals, 52-42.

While many may know Amityville for being a team that routinely this season scoring 80-90 points per game, Thomas said what he has always seen his team as is a defensive first team that could buckle down and contain anyone. That's what he was focused on going into Saturday's Class A semifinal contest, wanting them to maintain the same defensive principles that got them to this point.

"I said to them that we have gotten here by playing our game which is high intensity pressure defense and good team defense," Thomas stated. "If we wanted to win against a very good Irondequoit team we needed to continue that."

The defense for Amityville was strong from start to finish, but what lacked for them was on the offensive end. For near three quarters the Warriors struggled to get much of anything going against a long and athletic Irondequoit interior. If they struggled making good decisions in the halfcourt and continued to settle for shots Thomas knew they would be going home.

Serrano though wasn't going to allow that to happen. The senior had just 10 points through three quarters of play with Amityville trailing 33-32 going to the 4th quarter, but he remained confident believing that the tide would turn in the Warriors favor.

"I am a leader and I said to them that I got you guys and not to worry," Serrano said. "I was confident even though my shot wasn't falling, and I was going to keep shooting because I wasn't going to let my team down."

Calling Serrano a big-time player, Thomas said he also had faith in what his star playmaker would do, and after back to back three balls he was proven right in his belief as Amityville took a 44-37 lead with the do it all guard leading the way.

It was all about executing plays. Serrano felt as if he wasn't executing the way he knew he was capable of, and with the big moment against a high-profile Irondequoit team he rose to the challenge.

Scoring 12 points in the 4th quarter alone Serrano put the Warriors on his back, and with freshman Myles Goddard '21 able to finish off a pair of putbacks down low in the closing two minutes of the game, Amityville sealed the comeback as they now continue on their path of getting that State Championship they talked about at the end of last season by defeating Irondequoit in the State Semifinals, 52-42.

Getting 22 points from Serrano, Amityville was able to get 12 points each as well from Goddard and Jayson Robinson '18 to help push the Warriors over the top late in the semifinal victory.

In defeat it was 12 points from Gerald Drumgoole '19 to pace Irondequoit who fell short of their goal in repeating as NYSPHSAA Class A champions, but it was a great season from start to finish for the Eagles who had a target on their backs from the first day of practices in November and still managed to find themselves back fighting for a chance at anything title.

The magical comeback story on Amityville will now continue as they will play for the state title on Sunday against Ardsley, and while Thomas says he is extremely proud of all the Warriors have accomplished this season he says he won't fully enjoy anything until the job is officially complete.

"We have one more game," Thomas said with a smile. "We got over the first hurdle, now we have just one more to go."

Previews & Predictions

Nearly eliminated from the playoffs three weeks ago when it took a Julian McGarvey '18 full court heave for the Panthers to keep the season alive and win the Section 1 title, Ardsley's improbable season will now continue for another day as they led for nearly the entire game in holding off a tough Mohonasen team by 5.

It was an even opening half with Mohonasen controlling the inside with their size, but with Ardsley finding a rhythm late in the opening half from the outside they were able to rally back and take a 30-27 lead at the half.

Getting a huge second half from Zeke Blauner '19 proved to be the ultimate key as the junior combo guard was able to beat the Mighty Warriors defense off the dribble and find his way to the rim where he was able to score at near will.

Blauner would score a game high 26 points, with 17 of those coming in the second half as Ardsley kept their run alive in taking down Mohonasen 61-56.

Next up for the Panthers will be Amityville in a game that will see the Warriors as the favorites coming in, but with the roll they are on, and playing the role of what is certainly Cinderella you never know what can happen in what has been a special playoff stretch for the darlings of Section 1.